


Nothing but the Rain

by tildarcta



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post Episode: s07e12 Victory and Death, Post-Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:02:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27939373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tildarcta/pseuds/tildarcta
Summary: Soon after the war ends, Ahsoka and Rex make their way to Saleucami. Rex isn't coping.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Cut Lawquane & CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 26
Kudos: 72





	Nothing but the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> I treat this work as a sequel to my other scribble, [**By the Lake**](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24037234). No need to read that one though, unless you really want to.
> 
> Title respectfully stolen from Battlestar Galactica.

Two weeks after the crash they land on Saleucami. The idea was to get far from the core worlds and far from any military occupation while still maintaining at least a decent holoconnection to what is going on. Ahsoka is not sure why Rex brought up this particular planet and when she asked him about it, the answer she got was only a quiet “I might have a friend there”. She did not have anything better to offer.

The Outer Rim Sieges made their way to this planet as well. There has been news about a Jedi captured here, but what the holonet also told them was that both the Republic and Separatist forces left the planet just a few days after the end of the war. Rex has been following the news closely.

“The harvest season is about to begin”, he notes absently as they climb out of the Y-wing. Ahsoka looks around at the wetlands, deep green and brown ground and the trees, and the little ponds where water ripples with the wind. In the horizon she thinks she can see farmed fields, but they are too far for her to tell anything about the plants. She raises the hood of her cloak to cover her montrals.

They trek through the land for several hours and Ahsoka watches the landscape turn from ragged forests and swamps into more even terrain, easier to walk on. The air is warm and humid.

“In the south this turns into desert”, Rex says, and Ahsoka believes it is just to break the silence.

“When did you last come here?” she asks, eyes on the darkening clouds. It’s going to rain soon.

“Soon after the start of the war. We were tracking Grievous with General Kenobi.” Ahsoka hums. 

“This friend of yours… did you meet back then?”

“We did. I…” The expression on Rex’s face is worried. “I hope he’s alright.” 

They do not talk for the rest of their journey.

As the first drops fall from the sky, they finally reach a farmhouse at the edge of large fenced fields. Rex goes first and knocks on the door as Ahsoka watches from behind, her hood slowly turning heavier as it soaks up water from both the falling drops and the moisture in the air. The door opens after a moment to reveal a Twi’lek woman wearing comfortable but durable-looking clothes and a hard expression that turns almost dangerous when she sees Rex.

“What do you want”, she snarls, but Rex stays where he stands.

“Hello, Suu”, he says. And waits.

And something shifts in the woman’s face, surprise replacing anger. “Rex?” Rex nods.

“What are you doing here”, she asks, her tone hesitant and almost scared now. Rex swallows.

“It’s okay, Suu, you have nothing to fear from us. Is your family all right?” 

As the word “us” leaves Rex’s lips, Suu’s eyes find Ahsoka who is standing further away. She turns her gaze back to Rex.

“Yes. Cut’s back in the house and the children are upstairs.” She pauses and looks at him for a long while. “It’s going to rain for hours”, she says then and steps aside. 

“You’d better come in.”

Cut turns out to be a clone. One of the older ones, hair pulled back in a ponytail and skin slightly darker than most of the soldiers have as a result of working outside without the armor. He listens face serious as Rex explains their situation to him and Suu without actually explaining anything. Just that they need a place to lay low for a while.

“I – I’m sorry, Cut, I didn’t… Perhaps this was a bad idea.” Rex shakes his head. Ahsoka stands in the corner of a small living room, her coat still around her.

“Rex,” Cut starts but Suu interrupts him.

“I remember telling you last time that you are welcome to stay”, she says. “That offer still stands.”

Rex looks at them both for a moment, then at Ahsoka. She looks back and tilts her head ever so slightly, just enough for him to understand. He nods.

“Thank you”, he says and sighs. “We won’t trouble you for long.”

“Stay as long as you need.”

“So”, says Cut merrily and claps his hands together. “You’d better get out of those wet clothes. Lady Tano, I can take your cloak, we can dry it in front of the heater. Rex, you’d better get that armor off. I know from experience it’s not the most comfortable thing.”

Ahsoka drapes her cloak into a smaller bundle and lets Cut take it into another room. Rex goes to his backpack in the corner and starts slowly taking off the pieces of his armor.

“They actually upgraded these”, Rex tells Cut as he returns. Suu disappears into the kitchen to make tea. “It’s a lot more comfortable than it used to be.”

“And you seem to be taking care of it just as well as the last time we met”, Cut notes quietly and takes Rex’s pauldron in his hands, fingers tracing the gunshot hole. “I think you need new pieces.”

“White plastoid never stood a chance against carbon scoring. They should have made them in black.”

Cut looks like he wants to ask something, but at that moment someone’s steps rush down the stairs behind the wall and Ahsoka looks up to see two children standing at the doorway. Too old to be Cut’s biological children, both around ten years old. The boy looks slightly younger. 

“Are we having guests?”

“Who is it?”

Rex has an odd expression on his face as he watches the children slip into the room. Cut chuckles.

“Shaeeah, Jek, do you remember Rex?” The boy’s face brightens.

“I do! Hello!” He waves. The girl smiles in a way that makes her eyes twinkle.

“Hi.”

“Rex and his friend Lady Tano are going to stay with us for a bit.”

“Yes!” shouts the boy, Jek, and runs past them into the room, jumping face down onto an old couch. “Rex is going to stay again! Shae, come here!”

“Ahsoka is fine”, Ahsoka says to Cut, smiling politely. “I’m not much of a lady.” Cut nods. Jek is already too far buried in the small pile of pillows and a throw blanket to care, but Shaeeah turns to look at her as well.

“I’m Shaeeah.”

“Nice to meet you, Shaeeah,” Ahsoka says and smiles back. “I heard you are Rex’s friend.” Shaeeah’s face lights up.

“Rex was staying with us when the robots attacked! He helped us. Dad?” 

“They were droids, Shaeeah. Yes?”

“Are they going to attack again?”

Rex lifts his gaze to Cut, who frowns slightly. Cut looks again at the scored pauldron in his hands. He is silent for a moment before shaking his head. 

“No, they won’t come this time.” He sets the pauldron down where other pieces of the armor are and draws the girl into his side. “We scared them too badly last time.”

“Shaeeah, come _on_!” Jek shouts from the pillows and Shaeeah grins shortly before running to join him.

Rex looks uneasy.

The kitchen smells like wood, earth, electricity and the tea. The blend is something local, deep and herbal, and Ahsoka finds she likes it. The mugs are handmade, most of them in different colors. Ahsoka’s is green. She wraps her fingers around the warmth.

“So, Ahsoka, where did Rex pick you up?” Cut’s expression is kind, even though he seems to notice Rex turning his head rather quickly in his direction. Ahsoka considers the question, the man in front of her and the answer before she speaks.

“We worked together. Until recently, I served with the Grand Army of the Republic.”

“You’re quite young to be in the military”, Cut notes, his relaxed tone of voice contrasting with Rex’s stiff posture. Ahsoka shrugs. She has a feeling they can trust these people.

“I was a Jedi Padawan. I left the Order some time ago.” 

Cut laughs in a way that makes Ahsoka think the information is not as surprising as she assumed.

“A Jedi in our kitchen!” he chuckles. “And a rebel Jedi at that, it seems. No wonder you need a sanctuary.”

“Not a Jedi anymore, I’m afraid,” Ahsoka corrects. “But I understand if you’d rather keep your family safe.” Cut shakes his head.

“Ahsoka, I ran away. If I’ve learned anything during these years, it’s that this house is open to everyone who needs help, myself included. I doubt Suu is going to let you leave anytime soon.”

“I won’t”, Suu confirms and pours Ahsoka more tea. “The house is small, but there is a small loft in the barn, and we renovated last year. We’ll get you some blankets and water.”

“Thank you”, Ahsoka says sincerely.

“Besides, it’s going to rain for several days now,” Cut adds. “You really don’t want to go anywhere soon.”

“I doubt the rain would stop us”, Rex says. “Or anyone else for that matter. Cut, I’m going to be clear now. Right now, I’m just as much a deserter as you, if not more. I have refused to follow a direct order from the Chancellor himself, and while Ahsoka is not a Jedi anymore, it wasn’t stopping the others from trying to kill her. As I said earlier, we are both assumed dead, but if they figure it out there will be an army after us. If there’s any doubt, we’ll leave.”

Ahsoka glances towards the room where the children are playing, but Suu and Cut do not seem concerned. Cut leans back in his chair.

“Your ship crashed, right?”

“Yes.”

“How big?”

“A star destroyer. We lost our hyperdrive and were pulled into a moon.” Something close to worry flickers in Cut’s eyes before he speaks again.

“Do you know what moon it was?”

“Unimportant enough to not have a name. Outside the core, probably somewhere between Corsin and Bogden.”

“Then I say there’s no reason to worry about being found right now.” Cut places his elbows back on the table and looks at Ahsoka and Rex both.

“If a whole star destroyer crashes, it’s to be expected that no one survives. You’ve disappeared nowhere near populated planets and even if someone apart from you survived, I’ll bet every creature in that barn there that they didn’t notice you two. A destroyer is one hell of a big ship, and I’d guess ridiculously difficult to get out of alive when it’s falling without control.

“Besides, they already caught a Jedi here, I think they’re satisfied with us for now.” 

“Cut…” Rex hesitates, but there is a determinent look in his eyes as he shifts on his chair. “You haven’t heard anything of any order given to the GAR, have you? Concerning why the Jedi are being… pursued?”

“No. Should I?”

Rex shakes his head. “No. Actually the less you hear the better. Turns out the ‘right to choose’ was even less of an option than I originally thought.”

Cut is silent for a long moment, eyeing Rex thoughtfully.

“That’s a new scar on your head”, he says then, softly. Rex flinches, not too visibly, but visibly enough for Ahsoka to notice. Probably Cut and Suu too.

“Yeah”, he mutters. “Just keep off any military frequencies and you’ll be fine. I doubt they are going to issue the order again anyway, but better to be safe.”

“I will.”

They move their gear into the shed. There are seven eopies standing in their stalls, a workbench that looks like it’s been through a lot and haystacks everywhere. Wooden ladder leads to a loft above the windows, behind which the rain continues to fall. Outside the air is humid, but inside it is a lot drier, and the raindrops are making only soft taps as they hit the roof. Cut turns on the light.

“Up there”, he instructs and points towards the loft. “Should be a lot more comfortable than the workbench.” Ahsoka and Rex climb up and help Cut hoist two thin mattresses and a pile of blankets up as well.

“The kids sleep here sometimes”, he explains, kicking a pile of hay out of the way. There is a sound from the door and soon Suu appears at the end of the ladder with a basket full of food and some dishes.

“I can get you some water up there, if you’d like”, she says and climbs high enough on the ladder rungs to hand them the basket.

“The tap downstairs will do, thank you”, Rex assures. Suu nods.

“Good night to both of you”, she says and climbs down. “Cut, the children are waiting for you at the house.”

“I’d better go”, Cut says. Ahsoka smiles.

“Thank you”, Rex adds and Cut nods before following Suu. The barn door closes behind them. 

Ahsoka moves to sit on the floor and arranges the straws so that they are not pricking at her legs. “More comfortable than the workbench?”

“Yeah, I slept on that once”, Rex admits and leans to catch a look at the sturdy table downstairs. “Not that I really had a say in the matter.” Ahsoka chuckles.

“Sounds like an interesting visit.”

“It was… to say the least. Remember when I got shot? In the early days.” 

“I remember seeing you back at the medical center on Coruscant.”

“Yeah, well, this is where I spent the first night. Others were hunting Grievous and I was here, supposedly taking care of my health.”

“Supposedly?”

“There was a droid attack. Couldn’t let the kids end up… well.” Ahsoka nods.

“I see.” She sighs and looks at Rex, sitting in the warm, dim glow of the loft in his blacks and battered shin guards, looking much older than his body has any right to be.

“You were always indestructible”, she thinks out loud, voice quiet. “Everyone around me was, but you were never any less so than Anakin or the other Jedi.”

“They made us that way”, he says. “We were made to ‘withstand any stress’, it was one of our most fundamental functions…” He shifts so that his back rests against the wall. “A soldier is his title. If we weren’t wearing our armor, if we didn’t have the orders, or ranks… I doubt we would have been as effective. It was drilled in our heads over and over again that we would not fail due to stress or anything of the sort. And we didn’t.”

“And now?”

“Now…” He closes his eyes. “I think I might need to rest.”

The next morning Ahsoka wakes on the mattress surrounded by hay and for a moment she does not know where she is. An eopie is rustling somewhere below her.

Rex is asleep next to the wall, a narrow light beam drawing a stripe on his side. Outside the rain is still falling.

She climbs down the ladder, washes her face with the cold water from the tap on the wall and opens the door just enough so she can slip out. The sun is slowly rising in the horizon, a bright glow amidst the clouds that still cover the sky. It illuminates the falling drops, and Ahsoka stands still for some time.

“Good morning”, someone calls, and she turns around to see Suu walking towards her from the direction of the house. “How did you sleep?”

“Very well, thank you”, Ahsoka says, and it’s not a lie: she slept better than in weeks. There is something very comforting about the farm and its owners.

 _Family_ , she suspects.

“It’s still very early”, Suu says, and Ahsoka turns to walk with her back to the barn.

“You’re up”, Ahsoka points out. 

“The animals need feeding”, she explains, heavy boots clomping against the ground. 

“They are desert creatures, we won’t let them out until the rain stops.”

“Can I help?” 

Suu smiles. “I don’t see why not. Is Rex still asleep?”

“Yes.”

“Then we will be quiet.”

They enter the barn and Suu shushes the eopies. She walks to the other side of the barn and grabs two large metal buckets from a corner, taking extra precaution when lifting the buckets from the ground so the handles don’t creak loudly against the rim.

“Would you make sure they have water”, she whispers and points at the bowls attached to the walls in every stall. “There are more buckets next to the water tap.”

While Ahsoka fills the water bowls, Suu goes back and forth pouring each animal a pile of something short-grained and green that crunches satisfyingly in their mouths. After they have cleaned the stalls, Suu sits down on a haystack and waits for Ahsoka to join her.

“You’re very young”, she says and offers Ahsoka a breakfast sandwich, still keeping her voice quiet. “Too young for war.”

“Most of the time I didn’t realize that”, Ahsoka tells her. Outside the golden hue of the sun dims as the clouds cover the sky again.

“Besides, the war is over now.”

“I doubt that”, Suu says and takes a bite of her own sandwich. “I don’t care much for politics or power, but I know enough to tell that whatever is happening won’t last long. I just hope this time children won’t be there to fight.”

“I’m not a child anymore”, Ahsoka reminds her and traces the edge of the skirt given to her by the Mandalorians. “Certainly not by experience.” Suu tilts her head.

“No, I don’t think so. But maybe you should be.”

“Maybe.”

“When I grow up, I’m going to be a pilot”, Jek informs them later that day. “Or a podracer, or an animal doctor.” They are sitting in the kitchen and outside the sun is setting somewhere behind the clouds. “You can’t be an animal doctor, Jek”, Shaeeah says, radiating big sister energy. “Droids do that.”

“Jek can be an animal doctor”, Suu says. “There are vets in the village.”

Rex is sitting next to Ahsoka, who is seated next to Shaeeah. He has not spoken much the entire day, but Ahsoka assumes that is to be expected. The farm with its simple family life is an odd contrast to what they left behind on the moon. Perhaps on Mandalore already, or in Ahsoka’s case, long before that. She thinks about the Martez sisters.

“What about you, Shaeeah”, she asks. “What would you like to be?”

Shaeeah thinks for a moment.

“A teacher”, she says. “So I can teach other children all the important stuff, like how plants grow or how to fix a broken shoe.”

“You’re right, that _is_ important”, Ahsoka laughs. “I think many grownups could do with that information as well.” Shaeeah looks confused.

“Why? Don’t they know that?”

“Not all of them. And many of them forget.”

“Did you forget? Or Rex?”

“We…” Ahsoka bites her lip. “I think we both can fix a broken shoe, but you might know a lot more about plants than we do.” Rex shrugs quietly. Shaeeah’s face lights up.

“I can teach you!” She bolts from the room and they hear her jumping up the stairs, before coming back with a small notebook. “This is my herbarium!” Suu smiles knowingly as Shaeeah climbs back on her chair and opens the notebook so that both Ahsoka and Rex can see. She points at the first plants.

“This is a wool flower, and this one is bluewheat. Bluewheat is my favorite flower _and_ you can eat it! I don’t like it though.”

“It’s very pretty”, Ahsoka says and pays obediently attention to the dried blue and white flower between the pages. Rex swallows.

“Excuse me”, he mutters and stands up. Ahsoka glances at him.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, I just… might need some fresh air. I promise I’ll look at your notebook later, Shaeeah, it looks – it looks great.” Jek looks confused.

“But it’s raining! You’ll get wet!”

“I’ll stay under the roof.”

He pushes the chair closer to the table and steps out of the room. For a few seconds the sound of rain sounds clearer and louder before the front door closes again.

“Where did he go?” Shaeeah asks. She looks a little bit hurt, hands still on the notebook’s pages.

“Not far, I’m sure. He’ll be back later”, Ahsoka says, but she knows better. She looks at the rain hitting the glass outside the windows. “He’s just a little tired.”

“Do you need to go?” Suu asks quietly, a serious look in her eyes that tells Ahsoka she knows exactly what is happening.

“Not yet”, Ahsoka says. “Let him be alone for a moment.”

“Why do you need to go too?” Jek asks, but Suu shushes him. 

“Don’t you worry about that, it’s none of your business.”

“But mom!”

“No arguing.”

Ahsoka turns her attention back to the notebook on the table and Shaeeah recovers from her bewilderment, launching into an explanation about how they plant new crops every year. 

After fifteen minutes or so, Suu gets up.

“All right, children, bedtime. Up you go.” 

There is a minute filled with whining and general razzle as she ushers Shaeeah and Jek upstairs with all of their toys and books. On the first step of the stairs she gestures towards the door with her head, looking at Ahsoka.

“He might need a friend now”, she says and then follows the children, disappearing from view.

The rain has subsided as Ahsoka steps outside, but not by much. The ground under her feet sloshes.

Rex is nowhere to be seen.

She starts walking.

Ahsoka finds him, eventually. About a klick away from the house there is a figure sitting on the wet ground, leaning on a rock downhill. His posture is resigned, one shoulder resting against the rock, legs on the ground. He does not have a coat, and the raindrops seem to sink into him as they hit his shoulders and arms.

“I didn’t bring you anything better to wear. Sorry”, Ahsoka mutters as she walks downwards towards the man where the ground declines unsteadily. Rex shakes his head but does not look at her, keeping his eyes on the horizon. The rain there looks like soft blue mist.

Ahsoka stops next to him and bends down to place her hand on his shoulder. The muscle under the shirt quivers once. 

“An evil I can’t well imagine”, he rasps as Ahsoka kneels down in the mud, keeping her hand still.

“That’s what I said to Cut last time”, he says. “If we fail, then our children, and their children…”

“You remember what you said back then?” Ahsoka asks softly. “That was almost three years ago.”

“If we fail…” Rex croaks. 

It is hard to tell what is tears and what is rain on his cheeks, but his eyes are rimmed red. Ahsoka has seen Rex cry before back on the star destroyer when the first cracks appeared on his soldier’s mask, but the air surrounding him this time is so heavy that Ahsoka has to remind herself to breathe.

“They were with me”, he manages to say, even though his voice wavers more with every word. “Kix and Hardcase – “ he draws breath. “And _Jesse _– “__

____

He crumbles.

____

It is not like in the holodramas that she watched back on Coruscant with Padmé. It’s not beautiful, or collected, or quiet. The sound an adult man makes when he cannot hold his sorrow back anymore is ugly and raw, and Rex has to fight to draw breath between the sobs.

____

He bends down until his elbows touch the ground and he can bury his face in his palms, and Ahsoka moves to sit with him, arms reaching to keep him from breaking into pieces. 

____

He shakes and shakes, until he collapses on the ground and Ahsoka hauls him back up against herself, trying to get him up from the mud. His head rolls backwards onto her shoulder.

____

He keeps crying. 

____

Ahsoka keeps her arms around him so he does not fall.

____

____

“We should get inside”, Ahsoka says later.

____

They are still on the ground, Rex leaning half on the rock behind them, half on Ahsoka. Both of them are covered in mud that has now seeped into their clothes so deep that the falling rain cannot wash it off. She helps him get up and waits for him to get his feet properly under himself before taking his hand and walking them carefully up the small hill.

____

They have spent enough time in silence during the last few weeks that the quiet feels only familiar now.

____

____

Back at the house Ahsoka sees Suu standing at the window as they walk to the barn. She nods to her on the way, silently confirming that all is well.

____

She guides Rex up onto the loft and finds him a towel from his backpack. 

____

“I’m going to get you dry clothes from the house, I won’t be long”, she says and leaves him sitting in the middle of blankets and hay before climbing down. 

____

Back at the house Suu is waiting for her.

____

“I made you tea”, she says and hands her a thermos bottle. “Cut likes it, so I think your friend will like it too.” Ahsoka takes the bottle and the pile of clothes Suu offers her.

____

“There’s a dry shirt for you too”, she says with the gentleness of a mother wolf. “If you need anything else, just ask.” Ahsoka shakes her head.

____

“I couldn’t ask for anything more”, she says sincerely. “Thank you.” 

____

Suu smiles sadly.

____

“Cut used to have bad moments. I know the signs when I see them.”

____

Ahsoka bows. “Good night”, she says. Suu nods in response.

____

“Good night. To both of you.” Ahsoka turns and Suu closes the door. 

____

____

Rex is still sitting in the same spot when she climbs up. He has managed to get his wet shirt off, but apparently has not moved since. He is twiddling the towel in his hands and staring out of the little window on the wall, eyelids swollen and head covered in mud stains. Ahsoka sets the bottle and the clothes down.

____

“I brought tea”, she says and sits on the floor. “And dry clothes.” Rex nods. He takes a proper hold of the towel and wipes the mud off before taking the simple off-white shirt Suu sent him and pulling it over his head.

____

“It’s warm”, he mutters, surprised. Ahsoka takes off her own shirt and puts on the one meant for her from the pile. It is long enough to almost reach her knees and so she pulls off the muddy boots and pants as well. The shirt is soft and comfortable, and also blessedly warm.

____

“I think Suu knows a thing or two about making the best out of bad situations.”

____

Rex nods again and changes his pants while Ahsoka pours them both a cup of tea. They sip it quietly for a moment.

____

“I’m sorry about earlier”, he says then. “I didn’t mean to…”

____

“Rex, it’s all right.” She puts her cup on the ground. “I know.” Rex lowers his head and sighs, wrapping his fingers tighter around his steaming mug and shifting his legs. He looks fatigued.

____

“I’ve been trying to figure it out why I thought coming here was a good idea”, he says, voice still hoarse and quiet. “It didn’t really make any sense, did it?”

____

Ahsoka tilts her head. “Strategically, no. There would have been better places than this. But I don’t think that’s what you were thinking.”

____

“No.” He swallows. “Cut is… Cut figured it out before anyone else, I think. The pointlessness of the war, and that there could be something more valuable outside it. Last time…” He shifts again. 

____

“Last time I told him I wanted to fight because I wanted to make sure that the children of this – time, I guess – will live to see peace. That they would not have to live in fear and darkness.

____

“Turns out we were meant to – “ He quivers again and draws in a sharp breath. Ahsoka waits. As he finishes his sentence, his voice is hollow and brittle.

____

“Turns out we were the ones to bring the darkness.”

____

Ahsoka does not say anything, but she looks at Rex long enough that he has to look back. She shakes her head and hopes that the simple gesture tells Rex what she needs him to know. That he is not to blame. That he did everything he could. And that above all else, she is sorry. She will probably never understand completely what Rex feels, what it is like to realize that the whole reason for your existence is only to be a weapon without humanity, but she needs him to know that there is still hope.

____

Hope of a hope.

____

The hope she saw in the children’s eyes today, the hope she saw in the rain in the morning when the sun turned every drop into a little shining universe, the hope she feels is woven into their warm borrowed clothes and hidden in their teacups. 

____

“There’s still light”, she says. “You yourself reminded me of that after we left the moon, and it was true.”

____

Rex swallows and looks away.

____

“You were asleep this morning”, she continues, “but had you been awake, you might have seen the sun.”

____

____

Against Cut’s prediction the rain stops the next evening, and Ahsoka finds herself sitting near a river not too far from the house. 

____

It’s a beautiful place, large boulders covered with moss next to clear water running over millions of little grey and white stones that feel soft under her bare feet. The sky is not yet clear from clouds, but the gaps are large enough for the sun to color everything in pale gold. On a momentary whim Ahsoka climbs down from the rock she has been sitting on, takes off most of her clothes and wades into the water. She is barely waist deep when a sound comes from nearby.

____

“Can I… come too, or do you want to be alone?”

____

Ahsoka looks at Rex standing on the short grass some meters from the shore. She shrugs.

____

“Feel free.”

____

She is too focused on the purple sky above her to pay attention as Rex walks into the river still wearing a light shirt and short pants and disappears under the surface. He reappears a couple of seconds later, water dripping from his chin.

____

“Shaeeah wanted to let you know that she found a new plant”, Rex tells her absently and draws a deep breath.

____

“That’s nice.”

____

“Yeah.”

____

A beat.

____

“Weren’t we supposed to go swimming a while ago?”

____

“I think I mentioned something about it”, Rex mutters. He closes his eyes. 

____

“The sun is nice”, Ahsoka adds and turns to look at the golden glow where the fields meet clouds. She wonders fleetingly whether the children ever swim in this place, and chuckles quietly at an image of her splashing water around like a youngling. She might try it later, though.

____

Rex lets the stream move him slowly forward until the light touches his face, and a small smile forms on his lips.

____

“The sun is nice”, he says.

____

**Author's Note:**

> I'm starting to detect a pattern in my works. Oopsie. Anyway, if you find any odd mistakes, it's either because of 1) I wasn't paying attention or 2) I didn't even realize it was a mistake because I'm not a native speaker of English. In either case feel free to tell me and I will fix them! 
> 
> I really don't know what to write to let you to know how much I appreciate every single one of you, and that I really hope you have a lovely day/week/month/year/rest of your life!


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